“ Formal Education will make you a living, Self education will make you a fortune .”
Jim Rohn
In financial planning you need the right mindset to win. It does not matter how much effort you put in , if you are not in the right frame of mind it is going to be an uphill task to reach your goals. Cambridge dictionary defines a mindset as a person’s way of thinking and their opinions. Just like having the right attitude in life will open doors for you, having the right mindset will easily catapult you to reach your investment goals faster.
The right mindset will get you far, and open doors to opportunities that you may not otherwise access.
I want to mention just 5 mindsets that I believe are critical as you embark on creating wealth and expanding your horizons.
1. Learner’s mindset
You have heard people describe that they are lifelong students and in real life, they are the most likely to be rewarded. Learning keeps the mind open to understanding new things and just brings some perspective to the internet landscape, keeps morphing and there are new opportunities that seem to be coming up every day. For the person who is keen on learning new ways to communicate, to reach their customers and retain them then, you will likely grow.
2. Forgiving mindset
This is what I think so don’t be throwing stones at me, but if the only way for you to truly move on from a past hurt is to forgive, then it is worth your while to forgive quickly and move on. It will help save your heart and mind the real estate required to carry the load of unforgiveness.
Mind you, forgiveness also applies also applies to us. We are our own harshest critic of the wrong decisions made that left us broke and bitter, for being too trusting then we are swindled in the process among many other shortcomings.
I am leaning to unburden myself quickly. it does not mean that you become a doormat for everyone else’s bad behavior, but it means deciding to your losses and move on.
For some of us. it will be easy as walking away from bad company, or as difficult as forgiving and learning to start over.
3. Giving mindset
Nothing is more satisfying than giving of yourself. It means you live for more than your needs and wants. Remember how you have been reminded times without numbers, that sharing is caring. And it is very true. It is in our unselfish act of giving that we are positioned to receive. But don’t give with a quid pro quo mindset. Give because you are blessed enough to share. Be a giver who gives all the time, out of the little you have and out of the abundance you may be experiencing. Giving does not only relate to money. It includes giving of your time.
For instance, giving of your time could mean sharing your expertise for free by giving talks to students on career options, giving your expertise to your local church for an upcoming project, visiting a children’s/ the elderly people’s home, and just spending time with them.
Giving can also include giving materially; we probably have outfits in our closets that are in good condition, but we no longer use, give those out.
In a roundabout way, I am saying everybody has something they can give!
4. Grateful Mindset.
When we are younger we are taught to use “magic” words, one of them is “Thank you”. We lose it along the way when life happens to us and we begin to forget our good manners. Well….. it is high time we went back to the magic word because it works wonders. You do not have to have everything you want to be grateful, but you do need to be grateful for what you have. Gratitude acknowledges that what you have right now may not be exactly what you want, but it is enough for now. In my thinking, gratitude expands the little you think you have.
We sometimes forget to be grateful for things that even if we had all the money in the world we cannot buy, such as life, good health, and family.
5. Celebratory Mindset.
Celebrating wins both small and big is an important mindset to have this year. As you wait to win big, you need to celebrate small wins that keep you moving. We tend to play down our achievements especially when they seem so effortless to us, and yet they do count in the grand scheme of things. Finishing that book you have been trying to read, getting your exercise routine going, saving up for your emergency fund, adopting healthy eating habits. All these may seem “small or routine” but for you who are struggling you know, they are not that small.
So celebrate. And as you celebrate yourself, please celebrate the ones around you for their achievements. It will remind them that what they do matters, just in case they forget and it will make you a better person.
As we start this year let us start with the right mindset, and as you go about conquering your financial world, keep smiling because it looks good on you!